Multiple use device |
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申请号 | US14745706 | 申请日 | 2015-06-22 | 公开(公告)号 | US09591924B1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2017-03-14 |
申请人 | Anthony W. O'Neal; | 发明人 | Anthony W. O'Neal; | ||||
摘要 | Multifunctional device can be used, inter alia, as a stool, table, bench, or toilet, and can be carried on one's back. There are also many accessories that, in embodiments, are added to the basic structure, such as a back rest, a shooting stick with adjustable height, an umbrella, a hunting blind attachment, a privacy skirt, and toilet paper holders. The basic structure contains, in embodiments, shaped functionality for propping elongate items, e.g., a rifle or fishing pole. | ||||||
权利要求 | The invention claimed is: |
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说明书全文 | This non-provisional utility patent application claims priority of U.S. design application Ser. No. 29/491,406, filed May 21, 2014. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. Field of the Invention This invention is in the fields of: horizontal supports, more specifically, chairs, tables, and benches; and camping, hunting and fishing equipment. Description of the Related Art The related art describes foldable chairs and benches of various types. U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,874 to Jordan describes a bench/table combination suitable for picnic tables and the like which is easily collapsible and is strong when erected. The folding action allows the table top, legs and benches to be folded to assume a generally vertical position, the table top being made of two halves and hinged about a central axis, a pair of legs attached to each table top half and being pivotally attached to their respective table top half, and bench supports extending between each pair of legs being pivotally attached to the legs. A familiar sight in outdoor environments around the United States is the foldable beach chair with the amenity of one or more cup holders in the arm rests. There are patented foldable seats or benches comprising other amenities, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,648,196 to Degelman, et al., which describes an elongate seat or bench with a back rest and sheltering canopy. It comprises a collapsible bench and canopy having a seat frame made up of a plurality of crossing pairs of seat tubes pivotally connected to each other supporting a fabric seat. A fabric back rest is supported by back tubes attached to the seat frame and a canopy is supported by the back tubes to provide shelter to occupants of the collapsible bench. The bench and canopy can be collapsed in one piece by pivoting down the canopy and then moving the crossing pairs of seat tubes so that each pair is substantially aligned. U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,571 to Battiston et al. describes a foldable chair that can be used as a commode. This device comprises a platform having a pair of slotted members depending from the bottom, each slotted member defining a race extending from front to rear; a first U-shaped leg member having a pair of legs connected by a bight portion slidably disposed in the races; a second U-shaped leg member having a pair of legs connected by a bight portion, the top portions being pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the rear end of the platform, wherein the middle portion of each of the legs of the second U-shaped leg member is pivotally attached to the middle portion of a respective one of the legs of the first U-shaped leg member; a receptacle support member disposed intermediate the front and rear ends of the platform; and a receptacle which depends from the receptacle support member. Our increasingly outdoor and sports-oriented culture demands not only portable equipment related to specific activities such as climbing, beach-going and camping, but also has created a need to support the involvement of individuals and small groups in one or more such activities without the burdens of (a) having to decide for each occasion which portable devices pertain to a given outing; (b) making sure they are gathered together and packed for the occasion; and (c) making sure the packed gear, which the prior art may or may not have provided in portable form, is portable. The principal object of the present invention is to satisfy this need. The present invention is a multifunctional device that can be used, inter alia, as a stool, table, bench, or toilet, and that can be carried on one's back. There are also many accessories that, in embodiments, can be added to the basic structure, such as a back rest, a shooting stick with adjustable height, an umbrella, a hunting blind attachment, a privacy skirt, and toilet paper holders. The basic structure contains, in embodiments, shaped functionality for propping elongate items, e.g., a rifle or fishing pole. Other uses for the various embodiments will become evident as the invention is described more fully below. 1. Top perspective of present invention in folded configuration. 2. 3. 4. 5. View of a person with the folded bench portable strapped to his back. Accessories can be seen strapped to the back of the folded bench using Velcro straps, rope, or the like. 6. View of a person using the gun rest. 7. Perspective view of the bench with the legs unfolded showing the accessory back rest, drink holder, and umbrella. 8. Rear detail of 9. Front view of bench with the legs down and the bench-back up. 10. rear view of 11. Side view of folded bench. 12. Side view of 13. Top view of 14. Bottom view of 15. Bottom perspective view of the bench with the legs down and the bench-back up. 16. Detail of leg lock components. 17. Top view of bench in folded configuration. 18. Front view of 19. Bottom view of 20. Bottom perspective view of 21. View showing the accessory support pole and the gun rest support apart. 22. View showing the support pole and the gun rest assembled. 23. View showing the back rest support pole and back rest cushion apart. 24. View showing the back rest support pole and back rest cushion assembled. 25. Perspective view showing the accessory hunting blind draped over the bench and umbrella. 26. Perspective view showing the accessory skirt ready to be assembled to the bench. 27. Perspective view showing skirt assembled to bench. 28. Perspective view showing a rifle and a fishing pole resting in the rests cut into the bench. Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like elements among the drawings, Legs 70 are deployed using leg brace 80 and leg strut 90 restrained by leg lock ring 100. An accessory bucket 170 and gear bags 120 are also visible, fastened to legs 70 with, e.g., Velcro® straps 130. It is clear from the above description and figures that there can be many uses in addition to those mentioned, such as for hobby work (e.g., providing a measuring and/or cutting surface, seating for gardening) and leisure (sunbathing, napping, outdoor eating) or whatever else the various possible arrangements bring to mind. |